The Day He Knelt, I Married a Don Novel

Chapter 12 Lysander's POV The moment Carrie came back, she burst into tears and ran straight to the three of us, crying about everything that had happened earlier today. "Lysander, is Christian mad at me?" "Is Blair upset because I came back? I swear, I never meant to hurt her..." Normally, we'd rush to her side, comfort her, protect her. But this time... none of us moved. We just sat there in silence, and when she finished talking, we simply said, "Carrie, go upstairs. We're tired." I watched her walk up the stairs, and something inside me twisted with unease.

Maybe it was instinct, but I knew-something about her felt... off today. The living room went quiet again. The three of us sat there on the couch, saying nothing. It was me who finally broke the silence. "This is my fault... If it weren't for me, Blair wouldn't be dead." I lowered my head, buried my face in my hands, trying to suppress the storm inside me-but my voice still shook. When Carrie had first come back, yeah... we'd spoiled Blair a little more than usual. Maybe out of spite, maybe to make a point. But over the years... the feelings had become real. None of it had been fake.

And now I finally saw it-we had been so wrong. Zayden's voice came softly, "She seemed... a bit off earlier. Maybe we should check on her." I nodded, grabbing a glass of milk as we headed upstairs. But before we even got to her door, we heard a crash-the sound of glass shattering. Then came Carrie's low, furious growl, "That bitch Blair. I thought everything would be fine once she was dead-but no, she just won't stay gone! Don't know what trick she pulled to get everyone so worked up over her!" I froze mid-step, whipping my head toward my brothers. What the hell did she just say?

"She can't even stay quiet in death!" Chapter 12 16.18% "No discipline at all! What is this behavior?" Lysander slammed his palm against the table, clearly annoyed. "Lysander, calm down. Here, have some soup," Carrie said sweetly, placing a bowl of chicken broth in front of him. His anger faded instantly. His gaze softened, even smiling a little. "You're always the thoughtful one." I glanced down at my phone. Blair's chat window remained silent. Not a single new message. A heavy sense of dread pressed down on me. "Go find Blair," I told my beta.

"See where she is." She wouldn't just vanish on me like this. Normally, our chats were filled with her long-winded rants-and I'd just reply here and there, barely keeping up. Orion shot me a look. "Why are you looking for her? So she can come back and hurt Carrie again?" Zayden mumbled something in agreement. The whole table felt warm and cheerful-but I couldn't shake the knot in my gut. Even when I was trying to serve Carrie food, I absentmindedly placed something on her plate she didn't like. "Christian, I don't eat this. Did you-?" She frowned slightly at me.

"Sorry, I wasn't thinking," I apologized quickly. She didn't take it to heart, instead asking the maid to bring out a bowl of soup. "This is your favorite-pumpkin soup. I had the kitchen make it just for you. You've been working too hard lately, haven't you?" Pumpkin soup was my favorite. Also the one Blair made for me... more times than I could count over the past five years. The taste was so familiar. And yet-it left a hollow ache in my chest. Somewhere in the back of my mind, a voice whispered: Something's wrong. This isn't right. I blinked, shook it off, and forced a smile.

"All these years, and you still remember my favorite." Carrie turned scarlet, even her ears glowing red. "Christian... I love you most. I remember everything you like." She hadn't even finished her sentence when my beta-Finn-burst through the door in a panic. "Alpha-it's bad. The rope... it snapped!" admin